First Car to go over 100 km/h

A car named La Jamais Contente was the first vehicle to go over 100 km/h (62
mph). It was an electric vehicle with a light alloy torpedo shaped bodywork,
although the high position of the driver and the exposed chassis underneath
spoiled much of the aerodynamics. Also, the first electric car to go over
100 km/h.

The land speed record was established, according to sources, on April 29 or
May 1, 1899 at Achères, Yvelines near Paris, France. The vehicle had two
direct drive Postel-Vinay 25 kW motors, running at 200 V drawing 124 Amps
for about 68 hp, and was equipped with Michelin tires. Chassis number was
n°25.

Driver and Designer - Camille Jenatzy
The vehicle was driven by Camille Jenatzy, a Belgian. Camille was the son of
Constant Jenatzy, a manufacturer of rubber products, rubber was still a
novelty at the time. Camille had studied as an engineer, with an interest in
electric traction automobiles. He became known for his record-breaking speed
runs, and was nicknamed Le Diable Rouge ("The Red Devil") for the colour of
his beard.

Jénatzy had a passion for the Parisian electric carriage market, so he began
a manufacturing plant which would eventually produce numerous electric
carriages and trucks. His biggest competitor was carriage maker Jeantaud who
he fiercely competed against in publicity stunts to see who made the fastest
vehicles. Refusing to lose in the competition, Jenatzy built a bullet shaped
prototype, conceived by the carriage maker Rothschild in parinium; an alloy
of laminated aluminum, magnesium and tungsten. Following this, the
combustion engine utilizing gasoline would overtake electric technology for
the next century.